'Egocentric jerks': Newt Gingrich calls out Republicans who booted McCarthy

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Wednesday that he is sick and tired of elected officials in the Republican Party not putting their egos aside to unite the GOP. 

"I spent my entire career trying to build the Republican Party, and I'm sick of egocentric jerks who think that their ego is more important than the party as a team," Gingrich said on the "John Solomon Reports" podcast. 

Gingrich was referring to the eight GOP House members who voted to oust California Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as speaker on Tuesday. 

Many of them initially opposed McCarthy's speakership, and cited recent budget negotiations as the reason for ousting him.

"As long as these eight guys are totally irrational, he probably couldn't make it work," Gingrich said, referring to McCarthy. "We'll see whether anybody else can make it work."

Gingrich further predicted there would be at least three to five candidates for the position. 

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Oh.) has already declared he would run for speaker. Other names that have been thrown around include Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Tom Emmer (R-Mn.).